Heer Artillery NCO Visor Cap

[bittaker]

here is my second and to now latest visor cap. perhaps some issues with it, but i think it is a beauty : ) were basically all Heer NCO visor caps the same, except the colour around the top which "displayed" which unit you were in (artillery, infantry etc.) anyone who can help me with the phrase "private purchase"? i have seen that in seller ads.
Stig

[MAP]

Visors were either privately purchased by the NCO soldier or "issued" to them from Military stocks.

Those caps that are called "issued" were supplied to the military by the same manufactures as privately purchased version but as is typical with any contract, the lowest bidders usually won the contracts (this is a generalization as there were multiple contracts to fill the demand). "Issued" cap were typically made with less fancy features and fabrics. Typical issued caps were plain jane and made with standard tricot fabrics (which was regulation).

Privately purchased visors could be ordered in a wider array of options and are of higher quality. Soldiers could buy "pre-made" privately purchased caps or custom order theirs. It all depends on how much they wanted to spend. Most typically differences was the fabric. You will usually see private purchase caps made with higher quality fabrics such as Doeskin or Eskimo type wool. Other options could include bullion wreaths and eagles (for officers), ventilation systems, etc.

Officers on the other hand had to purchase their uniforms. They could either buy via the Kleiderkass system) which was basically a subsidized military run store/catalog) or privately purchase their visors direct from the maker/distributors. I think officers were also allowed to buy direct from government stocks but these caps were not equal in quality as private purchased or Kleiderkass system purchased caps

I could be slightly off on the details but I think you should get the point.

If you plan on adding to your collection you would be wise to purchase some good reference books. I use Gary Wilkins "The Collector's Guide To Cloth Third Reich Military Headgear". A great book IMHO.

Michael

[bittaker]

i see that they have issues of that book for sale at Amazon.com, price is $62,00. one review of the book is (taken somewhat out of context): " The only thing wrong with the book is that it does not have a volume or two to acompany it. Great job on a difficult subject! Worth every penny.
THIS IS A FIVE STAR BOOK, AND IS HIGHLY RECOMENDED!!! ". i will buy a copy when i get my pay check next week. thank you, Michael, for the advice!! i appreciate that.
Stig

[MAP]

No problem. Like any good reference book it is a constant companion of mine.

[stonemint]

The book is an excellent work, and the first of its kind, and was written when the study of TR headgear on the 'net was in its infancy.
By that I mean that some of the information is incorrect, and there are a few fake hats in there (as well as fantasy makers), but the vast majority of the book is solid.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The extra cap was a staple of cap makers who were in search of the vanity of the young soldier and or NCO and officer. In particular, the recruit would look at his cap issued to him from the Kammer, and be repulsed by its being used and such. He would then go in search of his own, more elegant and personal item: die Extramuetze.
Officers were Selbsteinkleider, i.e. they got a clothing allowance and had to provide their own uniforms.

The Wilkins book is fine for beginners, but should be used in combination with this website.

The Wilkins book also is too focused on a handful of cap makers that fit American collector taste and or dogma.

I own a couple of caps pictured in the Wilkins book, as fortune would have it.

I would also say that the man deserves our respect for the huge work he performed, but no book is the final word, and no author the ultimate authority.

Knowledge about this regalia is too fractured, and we are trying here to glue it back together in a manner of merit for cap collectors.

Someone should organize all the work done here and it would easily eclipse the Wilkins book and then some.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Siehe da.

- - ------- - -

I write books for a living and have done so for about thirty years.

[MAP]

The book is an excellent work, and the first of its kind, and was written when the study of TR headgear on the 'net was in its infancy.
By that I mean that some of the information is incorrect, and there are a few fake hats in there (as well as fantasy makers), but the vast majority of the book is solid.

Stonemint,

Thanks. Would you be able to divulge a couple particulars sections or examples? Would love to make notes of this in the book for future reference.

Thanks again

Michael